BOULDER, CO – APRIL 12: Congressman Cory Gardner, stands with his supporters as he makes his case to be a Republican candidate on the ballot for the United State Senate. The Colorado Republican Party holds its state assembly for statewide candidates running for office at the Coors Event Center on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder. (Kathryn Scott Osler, The Denver Post)

BOULDER — Congressman Cory Gardner easily captured the GOP nomination for Senate on Saturday, a clear affirmation from the Colorado Republican party that he’s the best candidate to challenge incumbent U.S. Sen. Mark Udall in this fall’s midterm elections.

Gardner received 73 percent support from the more than 3,900 delegates at the state assembly.

His challengers, state Sen. Randy Baumgardner of Hot Sulphur Springs and Tom Janich of Adams County, failed to gather enough votes to make the ballot.

Gardner took to the stage inside the Coors Events Center earlier Saturday to address delegates, calling for new leadership in the U.S. Senate and touting a message of economic growth, lower taxes and advanced energy development.

“Every day I see faces that are a result of the failure of Washington,” Gardner said. “Faces of failed leadership. … People who have lost their doctor, who are out of work.”

Gardner, in his brief remarks, took aim at Udall, saying the senator “just went along for the ride” with President Barack Obama on the Affordable Care Act, a measure polling far from favorably in Colorado.

“Obamacare is the biggest and worst boondoggle this country has ever seen,” Gardner said.

The Republican from Yuma, who entered the race in February to widespread applause from the party, cleared the field of most of the high-profile names who at the time were vying for the seat.

Danea Buell, 28, a delegate from Morrison, said the focus for the party needed to be on November.

“Gardner is our best shot at winning the seat,” Buell said. “It’s about outing Democrats. They’ve had a chance to lead and haven’t done it.”

Democrats from around the state gathered in Denver at the Bellco Theatre on Saturday to officially nominate Udall.

“Our Western heritage teaches us to be self-reliant and independent. To be ready for the times in life we’ve got to stand on our own. But we’re also rugged cooperators — we work with our neighbors, no matter what their political philosophy may be,” Udall said.

Last week both candidates posted lofty fundraising totals as Gardner raised about $1.4 million and has $2.1 million in his bank account, compared with Udall’s $2 million haul and $5.9 million cash on hand. Millions of dollars for TV advertising has already entered the state, with spending coming from third-party groups — a clear sign that underscores Colorado’s importance as Republicans in Washington look to take control of the U.S. Senate.

A native of Colorado, Kurtis Lee was a politics reporter for The Denver Post from February 2011 until July 2014. He graduated cum laude from Temple University in 2009 with a degree in journalism and political science. He previously worked as an online writer in Washington, D.C., for the PBS NewsHour.

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